NATIONAL LEAGUE: The FAI hopes to hold the appeal against the decision not to dock St Patrick's Athletic for fielding an unregistered player in the first three matches of this season next week, reports Emmet Malone.

The appeal was lodged by the three clubs St Patrick's played in those games - Galway United, Shelbourne and Derry City. Under the association's rules the appeal must be held within two weeks but the feeling within Merrion Square yesterday was that it would be better to address the issue at the earliest opportunity.

Three members of the organisation's National Council will be appointed by general secretary Brendan Menton to hear the appeal which could yet result in the Inchicore club losing three points for each of the times it offended.

But it is likely that, in addition to having the original decision to spare St Patrick's the punishment mandated by the rulebook, the clubs involved in the appeal will also seek to have all of the points from the respective games awarded to them instead, something that is not provided for under the rules in question.

Last week's disciplinary meeting chose to apply, "common sense," to the situation and settled for fining St Patrick's £1,000.

The question of whether the three-man body, which included league chairman Michael Hyland and recently appointed commisioner Roy Dooney, had the authority to use such discretion when hearing the case is now a central issue in the appeal.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Manchester United will reimburse their travelling fans the cost of the trip to Athens for the postponed Champions League match against Olympiakos. Around 600 supporters had flown to Greece for last night's game, which was called off by UEFA because of the terrorist attacks in the United States.

IRISH YOUTHS: The Republic of Ireland youths lost the second game of their three-match tournament in the Czech Republic, going down 4-0 to the hosts in Nymburk. Ireland trailed 1-0 at half-time but were overrun in the second half.

WOMEN'S SOCCER: The Republic of Ireland senior women's team defeated Moldova 4-0 in the Group Six World Cup qualifying game in Chisinau yesterday. The scorers were Caroline Thorpe (two), Sonya Hughes and Olivia O'Toole.